Fondue
by TheLadyMuse
Summary: Part 7 of Scheherazade(verse). Jane reflects even as she learns all the implications of a simple word. OR The Maternal Accords officially kicks off Season 2 of Scheherazade, but this is the better jump off point.


Of all the things Darcy adored about her pseudo-adoption by Scheherazade and Sharkness, the thing she adored most was the fact that they and the other Wildcats got her. Where Jane and everyone else was giving her disappointed looks or ribbing Bruce about the age difference, Scheherazade (oops, Vic in the civvies) had calmly intoned

"Jack's four decades older than me, and Uncle is a over a century older than Marie." Katya chimes in that Piotr is at least four years her senior, and Natasha admits that Clint is, actually, older than she is AND fucking her (not giving two fucks about their own eight year gape) and when Ava remarks offhandedly

"Danny's a king, you know, and of course, Lord James is actually younger than Lady Aurelius." With Aurora chiming in

"I'm older than Scott, you know." That kind of seals the deal. While yes, Darcy complains about everything but Bruce to Jane, she only ever discusses the man she's thinking about mating with the women who suggested it. By all reports, the Hulk has actually extended his lifespan to match hers, and that's lovely, really.

And yes, it isn't until well after Sokovia is sorted and Scott Lang has sworn to follow Darcy as the Queen of his Colony that Jane even realizes her former assistant has a penchant for shoving her tongue down throat of their boss' best friend.

But, for Jane, the moment she realizes she is no longer Darcy's relationship advisor is the day Bucky Barnes swoops into the compound and whisks Amara away to 'fondue' and Darcy hoots

"Let 'em be, they haven't fondued for a week!" When Steve tries to other Wildcats, who are briefly visiting Natasha to organize training exercises, all chime in their own catcalls, either grabbed by their own mates for fondue, or slinking out with snickers.

FONDUE

Jane waits, after that. She expects that such an age gap will have Darcy whining about Bruce sooner, rather than later, and is surprised when her assistant simply doesn't talk about Bruce or the Hulk.

It isn't until Marie Howlett visits the Tower to demand a date for the mating ceremony, where she and Darcy run through things quickly, that anyone who isn't a Feral realizes that Bruce mating Darcy wasn't an expediency thing, like Tony and Pepper.

It is Pepper, actually, who asks about the mating ceremony. Darcy smirks at Amara before explaining

"Traditionally, mating ceremonies are hosted by the Prime of the region, on Midsummers' Day, with a night celebration. Bruce, Lord James, Steve and Amara will travel with me to Howlett House in a few months. The ceremony will take place there." Natasha frowned thunderously, before Amara shook her head and reminded Darcy

"Prima Howlett said that since the house remains closed most of the time, us Wildcats and our mates will go ahead, Second Rogers, the Barton Nestlings and your Colony will travel a day or so behind us." Darcy nodded, frowning herself when she saw the disappointment on most everyone else's faces, including Janes'. As Bruce was still in the lab, Darcy had no compunctions about cutting off the others by saying sharply

"You make Bruce feel like a pervert, question my choices, ignore the etiquette of the society that saved your lives and FREEDOM, and expect an invite?" Jane cleared her throat and shot back

"I thought you'd want your friends at your wedding?" Amara growled before speaking

"Foster, shut up. Mating is not marriage. Like the handfast marriages that were common before the Industrial Age, mating vows can be broken. But when you speak your vow under sun, celebrate under moon, you really, truly, mean it. There is no 'divorce', it is literally, until we die, whether in blood, fire or our sleep, I'm yours." Bucky, who usually remained quiet, raised his voice enough to interject

"If I hadn't been salvageable, it would have been Amara's duty to end me." Maintaining a lower voice pitch, he continued

"Banner is mating someone who not only adores him, but who matches his life span. Not all of us are so lucky. The day I mated Amara, we thought that even if we survived the war, I'd die before her hair started going grey." Amara nodded, humming in her throat when Natasha put in

"I thought the same of Clint, actually. That I'd lose him before I had much time with him."

That conversation hurt, actually. That was the first inkling Jane had that maybe, for all her brains, things wouldn't go so well for her.

FONDUE

After a subtle but stern talking to by Bruce, Darcy relented about having the team at her mating ceremony. It was a lovely thing, like the Prima and Prime had had. Darcy and Bruce exchanged rings as their tokens, and the vows they swore to each other had the women in tears and the men grimacing.

Darcy didn't really care. Dressed in a brilliant, multi hued dress of green and blue, with Scott attending as the only other member of their Colony, and Jane and the Wildcats dressed as her attendants, her life looked great. Yeah, there was stuff to do, research to science, possibly children to raise, but she had Bruce, and their friends and what more could she ask for?

(Although she never asked for that vacation, Tony's honeymoon gift was much appreciated)

 **Do we care where Scheherazadeverse is going? BTW, Rogan shippers. Rogan will get another appearance as of Season 2 at some point, but not sure when. Is there something you want to know? Like, what's happening with Betty Ross?**


End file.
